Rotary bending devices, also known as rotary benders, are commonly used for forming simple and modified bends in malleable sheet materials, such as sheet metal. Rotary benders generally include a saddle having a cylindrically shaped cavity and a generally cylindrically shaped rocker received within the cavity and being rotatable within the cavity relative to the saddle. In use, rotary benders are generally mounted to a press. During a downstroke of the press, the rocker is forced into contact with the workpiece and rotates within the saddle cavity to bend a portion of the workpiece about an anvil on which the workpiece is supported.
It is generally desirable to stabilize the rocker relative to the saddle while simultaneously minimizing friction generated between the rocker and the saddle during rotation. It is also desirable to limit the range through which the rocker rotates relative to the saddle when returning to a neutral position from a bending position. However, known rotary benders are deficient in these respects and others. Accordingly, there is a need for improvements to known rotary benders.